Tata Punch EV Vs Citroen eC3: Which Small Electric SUV Is Quicker?

The Tata Punch EV and Citroen eC3 are two similarly-sized EVs, priced in a similar ballpark. It is true that with top-spec prices touching Rs 15.48 lakh, the Tata Punch EV’s pricing is steeper, but then it does offer more features than the eC3. However, this report isn’t about their features as we are going to focus on their real-world performance only. 

Also Read: 2024 Tata Punch EV vs Citroen eC3: EVs Compared

Top-spec variants of both the EVs have been considered for this test, and here’s a quick look at their on-paper specifications:

Specifications

The Tata Punch EV clearly has the advantage on paper. With 122PS, it boasts a significantly bigger power figure, while its 190Nm torque number is also bigger than the eC3’s 143Nm. Both are driven using the front-wheels only.

Note that the Punch EV is also available in a Standard Range version which gets a 82 PS/114 Nm electric motor coupled with a 25 kWh battery pack. But as mentioned earlier, only the respective top-spec variants have been considered for this test.

Performance Test

That’s a clean sweep for the Punch EV, and to be honest, it doesn’t come as a surprise. The delta between their on-paper output figures was just too huge for the Citroen eC3 to even have a chance in this comparison. 

The Punch EV is already considered to be rather quick for a car its size, and it shows when compared to the eC3. In the 0-100kmph test, the Punch EV is quicker by more than 7 seconds. Even in the quarter mile test, the Punch EV is nearly 3.5 seconds quicker while doing a notably higher speed as well. The eC3’s top speed is capped at 102kmph, while the Punch EV’s top speed is limited to 134.5kmph.

The biggest surprise was the braking test, considering that the Punch EV was tested in wet weather conditions. Despite that, it stopped 2.04 metres earlier than the Citroen eC3 did.

While this was an easy win for the Tata Punch EV’s long range version, we reckon the results will be closer with the 25kWh Punch EV (standard range). So stay tuned for that report.

Price

While prices for the Tata Punch EV go up to Rs 15.48 lakh, the Citroen eC3’s most expensive trim is priced at Rs 13.41 lakh.

But the 25kWh Punch EV, which will be a more suitable and equivalent rival to the Citroen eC3, is priced up to Rs 13.79 lakh. So there isn’t much difference between their similarly-specced variant’s prices. As for competition, apart from rivaling each other, they pose as alternatives to the Tata Tigor EV and the Tata Tiago EV.